R+W 新研發(fā)了一款XXL超大型號的安全型聯(lián)軸器，可用于風(fēng)能測試設(shè)備。此項(xiàng)應(yīng)用正在申請吉尼斯世界紀(jì)錄。

R+W has developed an XXL safety coupling for use in a wind energy test facility. An application is currently pending for this to be included in the Guinness Book of Records.

安全型聯(lián)軸器在保證轉(zhuǎn)動設(shè)備順利運(yùn)行的過程中起到?jīng)Q定性的作用。它們可保護(hù)精密的機(jī)械部件不受過載損害。過載損害不僅意味著花費(fèi)昂貴的修理費(fèi)用，也意味著長時間的機(jī)器停機(jī)。當(dāng)機(jī)器因?yàn)楣收隙C(jī)時，時間將會一分一秒地流失。安全總是放在第一位——因此，當(dāng)我們在選擇和應(yīng)用安全型聯(lián)軸器的時候，精準(zhǔn)和專業(yè)的知識都是非常必要的。

Safety couplings are a decisive factor in guaranteeing seamless operation in rotating equipment. They protect delicate machine components from overload damage which can lead not only to expensive repairs but also to extensive downtime. Every millisecond counts when shutting a machine down due to failure. Safety first – expert knowledge and precision are therefore required when selecting and applying safety couplings.

研發(fā)特殊訂制的精密型和工業(yè)型驅(qū)動聯(lián)軸器是 R+W 每一天的日常工作。因?yàn)?R+W 在傳動發(fā)展領(lǐng)域的經(jīng)驗(yàn)和專業(yè)，每天我們都會收到來自企業(yè)和科學(xué)領(lǐng)域各種各樣詳盡的詢問，有的還是一些極端參數(shù)。這其中包括一些知名的項(xiàng)目研究。例如安全型聯(lián)軸器如何應(yīng)用于國際空間站，盲維護(hù)系列的金屬波紋管聯(lián)軸器如何應(yīng)用于大型強(qiáng)子對撞機(jī) The Large Hadron Collider(LHC)——現(xiàn)在世界上最大、能量最高的粒子加速器。

Customized manufacturing of precision and industrial drive couplings is part of the day-to-day business at R+W Antriebselemente GmbH. The German-based company regularly receives inquiries from the business and scientific communities with immensely detailed, often extreme parameters, due to the reputation for experience and expertise the in-house development department has earned it. This includes well-known projects such as safety couplings for the International Space Station (ISS) and blind-mate metal bellows couplings for the world’s largest machine and most powerful particle accelerator, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC).

高要求激發(fā)創(chuàng)造力

另一個旗艦項(xiàng)目已經(jīng)在2017年的夏天成功完成安裝——STF/20000。它是目前世界上最大的安全型聯(lián)軸器，重達(dá)21.5噸。研發(fā)過程需要在每一方面都做到最高要求。這個項(xiàng)目來自于一家西班牙的聯(lián)軸器制造商，他們正在研發(fā)可應(yīng)用于一款丹麥新型風(fēng)能測試設(shè)備中26兆瓦電動機(jī)的傳動軸上。由于此款安全型聯(lián)軸器是以手動復(fù)位的形式，所以需要額外的過載保護(hù)，同樣也必定需要專家和合作伙伴的幫助。所以，R+W 是唯一一家能夠滿足此特殊需求的聯(lián)軸器制造商。項(xiàng)目已經(jīng)在2016年的7月正式開展研發(fā)。

Extreme demands generate creativity

Another flagship project was completed and installed in the summer of 2017 – the STF 20,000, which is currently the largest safety coupling in the world, weighing in at 21.5 metric tons. The demands were therefore extreme - in every respect. The order came from a Spanish coupling manufacturer which was building a transmission shaft for two six megawatt motors at a new Danish wind energy test facility. The additional overload protection required here in the form of a safety coupling with manual engagement definitely needed the help of a specialist partner. R+W was the only manufacturer that could fulfil this special requirement, and was able to start development in July of 2016.

七個月的設(shè)計(jì)工作

在密集的七個月設(shè)計(jì)工作之初，R+W 的研發(fā)團(tuán)隊(duì)首先開始制作3D模型。工程師使用有限元分析方法去計(jì)算未知的物理參數(shù)，同時也非常關(guān)注聯(lián)軸器中可能存在的缺陷，這些缺陷一般不會出現(xiàn)在常規(guī)使用中和標(biāo)準(zhǔn)規(guī)格中。Rainer Benz 強(qiáng)調(diào)：“我們非常仔細(xì)地檢查風(fēng)能測試設(shè)備中由于極端負(fù)載而產(chǎn)生的聯(lián)軸器變形或裂紋。它是否能夠長期地安全運(yùn)行全部取決于此?！币虼耍瑸榱朔乐鼓p而導(dǎo)致的設(shè)備故障，設(shè)計(jì)師也格外強(qiáng)調(diào)了這個具體的關(guān)鍵點(diǎn)。

Seven months of design work

At the start of the seven months of intensive design work, the R+W development team approached this special task initially by producing a 3D model. The actual gigantic coupling was based on this virtual prototype. The engineers also used finite element methods to master the unfamiliar physical parameters. Great care was taken over finding possible weaknesses in the coupling which would not usually occur in conventional use and standard sizes. “We have been extremely meticulous in checking for the danger of deformation or cracks due to extreme loading in the wind energy test facility. The long-term functional safety of the coupling depends on this,”adds Rainer Benz. The designers therefore strengthened specific critical points in the coupling in order to prevent failure due to wear.

三個星期致力于解決巨大難題

在此之后，聯(lián)軸器中所有的部件都作為特殊生產(chǎn)測試運(yùn)行。在這項(xiàng)測試的過程中必須保障絕對精密，所有部件組裝在一起時決不能容忍一絲一毫的誤差，甚至是鉆孔的位置。研發(fā)團(tuán)隊(duì)在距離德國阿莎芬堡市 (Aschaffenburg) 的門布里斯鎮(zhèn) (M?mbris) 50公里處租了一個生產(chǎn)基地，專門用來組裝超大型聯(lián)軸器，且面積足以容下起重機(jī)來組裝。三位 R+W 的工程師花了三個星期的時間來完成此項(xiàng)艱巨的任務(wù)。聯(lián)軸器零部件并沒用從各個方向組裝，而是從一個方向組裝。Rainer Benz 回憶道：“由于技術(shù)需要，因此聯(lián)軸器的零部件要像堆積披薩一樣在同一時間放在底座上——這是一次成功的組裝過程。”研發(fā)團(tuán)隊(duì)還用延時攝影記錄下了這一激動人心的過程。

Three weeks working ona giant jigsaw puzzle

After that, all of the individual parts of the coupling were forged as a special production run. Absolute precision was required in this work as the subsequent meticulously planned process of putting the parts together would not tolerate even the slightest inaccuracy in the location of a drilled hole. The project team rented a production space 50 kilometers away from M?mbris at Aschaffenburg, specifically for the assembly of the giant safety coupling, as an especially high ceiling was needed to accommodate the large diameter of the safety coupling and the cranes used to handle it.  It took three weeks for three R+W engineers to complete this giant jigsaw puzzle. Instead of assembling the parts from all sides, the individual components were mounted from one face only: “We made a virtue of the technical necessity and used the idea of stacking of a pizza as our template. Individual parts were therefore placed on the base frame one at a time - the ideal procedure as it transpired,” recalls Rainer Benz. The team also documented this exciting process using time-lapse photography. 

STF/20000 被送往西班牙的安達(dá)盧西亞區(qū) (Andalusia) 進(jìn)行最后的組裝，這對于物流運(yùn)輸又是一次巨大的挑戰(zhàn)。這個重達(dá)21.5噸的安全型聯(lián)軸器還需在運(yùn)輸過程中加上重3.5噸的運(yùn)輸架。一旦準(zhǔn)備裝運(yùn)，裝載機(jī)沒有足夠的寬度來承載這1,500公里的運(yùn)輸旅程。由于法國不允許高速公路進(jìn)行此類重載運(yùn)輸，運(yùn)輸司機(jī)花了三天的時間才到達(dá)目的地。經(jīng)過一系列密集的功能測試之后，聯(lián)軸器將被運(yùn)往丹麥安裝在風(fēng)能測試設(shè)備中，并保護(hù)設(shè)備不受損害。

The STF 20,000 had to be sent to Andalusia for final assembly- a further logistical challenge. The weight of the 21.5 ton safety coupling was further increased by the 3.5 ton heavy-duty transport frame.  Once ready for shipment, the ground level low-loader had no width capacity to spare for the 1,500 kilometer journey. As this type of heavy-duty transport is not allowed on the motorways in France,the team of drivers took a total of three days to reach their destination. After intensive functional tests, the unit was shipped to Denmark for installation in the wind energy test facility whose motors have since then been protected by what is currently the largest safety coupling. 

其他大容量安全型聯(lián)軸器的試驗(yàn)項(xiàng)目

Rainer Benz 總結(jié)道：“我們對于這項(xiàng)富有挑戰(zhàn)力的項(xiàng)目能夠成功完成感到無比自豪。能夠滿足這些極端的特殊要求，只用了解整個過程并且同時能夠正確地思考才能做到?！彼膱F(tuán)隊(duì)正在以世界上最大的聯(lián)軸器申請吉尼斯世界紀(jì)錄。由于這個項(xiàng)目的順利完成，其他一些扭矩在百萬牛米的研發(fā)項(xiàng)目也已經(jīng)進(jìn)入視線，這對于研發(fā)團(tuán)隊(duì)是真正意義上的認(rèn)可。這些新項(xiàng)目的概念可參考最初的設(shè)計(jì)理念。這種可自由配置的研發(fā)過程確保了每個項(xiàng)目個人能力的展現(xiàn)和具體需求得到滿足。

Pilot project forother high-capacity safety couplings

“We are obviously proud of the successful completion of this challenging project. These type of extreme demands can only be met by businesses who have an in-depth understanding of process whilst being able to think laterally at the same time,” concludes Rainer Benz. His team therefore sees the pending application for an entry in the Guinness Book of Records for the world's largest safety coupling as the icing on the cake. Other projects in the multi-million Newton meter range have already appeared as a result of this accomplishment, which is the real seal of approval for the development team. Concepts for these new projects can refer back to the initial design. This freely adaptable interface ensures the individual and specific demands of each project are met.